Blueberry plant named &#39;c15-143&#39;

ABSTRACT

The new blueberry plant variety ‘C15-143’ is provided. ‘C15-143’ is a commercial variety intended for the fresh market. The variety is produced from a cross of unpatented parents ‘FL12-082’ and ‘FL12-069’.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. Application No. 63/206152 filed on 29 Jan. 2021, the contents of which are hereby incorporated in their entirety by reference.

Latin name of the family, genus, and species: Family—Ericaceae. Genus—Vaccinium. Species—corymbosum hybrid.

Variety denomination: The new blueberry plant claimed is of the variety denominated ‘C15-143’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new variety ‘C15-143’ was selected from a population of seedlings derived from crossing the blueberry varieties known as ‘FL12-082’ (unpatented seed parent) and the variety known as ‘FL12-069’ (unpatented pollen parent). The cross was made in 2012 in Florida, USA and the seed was sown and grown in Corindi Beach, New South Wales, Australia. The new variety was selected in 2015 from among plants located on land at Corindi Beach and assigned the breeding code ‘C15-143’. Plants of ‘C15-143’ were propagated by cuttings for further evaluation and resulted to be uniform and stable. The new variety showed distinctive traits such as evergreen, medium plant vigorour, early season crop, and firm fruit.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new variety ‘C15-143’ was originated from a cross of ‘FL12-082’ (unpatented seed parent) and the variety known as ‘FL12-069’ (unpatented pollen parent) in 2012 in Florida, USA.

The new blueberry variety resulted from seedlings produced in a controlled breeding programme. The cross was made in 2012 in Florida, USA and the seed was sown and grown in Corindi Beach, New South Wales, Australia.

The new variety was selected in 2015 from among plants located on land at Corindi Beach and has since been named ‘C15-143’. Since then plants of ‘C15-143’ were propagated by cuttings for further evaluation and confirmed to be uniform and stable. Asexual reproduction of the new variety ‘C15-143’ by cutting propagation since 2015 at Corindi Beach, New South Wales, Australia has demonstrated that the new variety reproduces true to type plants.

The new variety was selected in 2015 as a single plant within a population of seedlings resulting from controlled cross of Vaccinium varieties. The seedling population was planted in an experimental block in the field at Corindi Beach, New South Wales, Australia and the selection of the new variety took place in the same block. Selection criteria were a combination of early season cropping time, low chilling requirement, medium plant vigour, non-deciduous type of plant (evergreen), high yields, and firm fruit. The new variety was subsequently evaluated for five years at the commercial farm at Corindi Beach, New South Wales, Australia.

The following characteristics of the new variety have been repeatedly observed and can be used to distinguish ‘C15-143’ as a new and distinct variety of Vaccinium corymbosum hybrid:

-   -   1. Non-deciduous (Evergreen)     -   2. Early season crop     -   3. High yield     -   4. Low chilling requirement, estimated to be between 150 and 300         hours     -   5. Firm fruit

The new blueberry variety ‘C15-143’ has maintained its distinguished characteristics throughout successive asexual propagation. The variety has been repeatedly asexually reproduced through softwood cuttings in New South Wales, Australia and the clones are phenotypically identical to the original plant.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying photographic illustration shows typical specimens in full color of the foliage and fruit of the new variety ‘C15-143’. The colors are as nearly true as is reasonably possible in a color representation of this type.

FIG. 1 is a photograph of the new variety ‘C15-143’, showing three year old plants growing in pots.

FIG. 2 is a photograph of the new variety ‘C15-143’, showing the botanical parts of the plants (blue fruit, green fruit, flowers and leaves).

FIG. 3 is a photograph of the typical fruit cluster of the variety ‘C15-143’.

FIG. 4 is a photograph showing the typical fruit calyx of the variety ‘C15-143’.

FIG. 5 is a photograph showing the typical pedicel scar of the fruit of the variety ‘C15-143’.

The colors in the photographs are as close as possible with the photographic and printing technology utilized. The color values cited in the detailed botanical description accurately describe the colors of the new blueberry variety.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following detailed description sets forth the distinctive characteristics of ‘C15-143’. The data which defines these characteristics was collected from asexual reproductions of the original selection. Dimensions, sizes, colors, and other characteristics are approximations and averages set forth as accurately as possible. For all traits data was collected from 3 plant parts across 6 randomly selected plants. For the traits relating to fruits (e.g., fruit weight, firmness, brix, acidity) the data is an average across twenty fruits collected randomly. The plant history was taken on plants approximately 3 years of age, and the descriptions relate to plants grown in the field in Corindi Beach, New South Wales, 2456 Australia. Descriptions of fruit characteristics were made on fruit grown in Corindi Beach, New South Wales, 2456 Australia. Color designations are from the 2007 edition of The Royal Horticultural Society (“R.H.S.”).

Classification:

-   -   a. Family—Ericaceae     -   b. Genus—Vaccinium     -   c. Species—corymbosum hybrid.     -   d. Common Name—blueberry.

Parentage: Female Parent—unpatented selection ‘FL12-082’. Male Parent—unpatented selection ‘FL12-069’.

Market Class: fresh market.

PLANT

-   General:     -   -   Parentage.—FL12-082 x FL12-069.         -   Plant height.—1.53 m.         -   Plant width.—1.2 m.         -   Growth habit.—Semi-upright.         -   Growth.—Medium vigour.         -   Productivity.—High.         -   Cold hardiness.—Low chill.         -   Cold tolerance.—Low.         -   Chilling requirement.—Low, estimated between 150 and 300             hours.         -   Tolerance to disease.—None assessed.         -   Leafing.—Overall strong, and plant retains leaves during the             winter.         -   Twigginess.—Medium.

FOLIAGE

-   General:     -   -   Leaf color (top side).—Green group, similar to 137A.         -   Leaf color (under side).—Green group, similar to N138C.         -   Leaf arrangement.—Alternate.         -   Leaf shape.—Elliptic.         -   Leaf margins.—Minor serration.         -   Leaf venation.—Reticulate.         -   Leaf length.—Very short to short (average 47.5 mm).         -   Leaf width.—Very narrow to narrow (average 23.9 mm).         -   Leaf length/width ratio.—2.         -   Leaf nectarines.—Absent.         -   Pubescence of upper.—Side absent.         -   Pubescence of lower.—Side absent.         -   Cross sectional profile.—Flat.         -   Longitudinal profile.—Straight.         -   Attitude.—Horizontal. -   Petioles:     -   -   Length.—Average 4.2 mm.         -   Width.—Average 1.26 mm.         -   Color.—Yellow-green group, similar to 145B.

FLOWERS

-   General:     -   -   Time of beginning of flowering.—Early season.         -   Flower shape.—Urceolate.         -   Flower fragrance.—None perceptible. -   Corolla:     -   -   Color.—White group similar to NN155C.         -   Length.—7.4 mm.         -   Width.—7.2 mm.         -   Aperture width.—3.2 mm.         -   Anthocyanin coloration of corolla.—Absent or very weak.         -   Corolla ridges.—Present.         -   Protrusion of stigma.—Present. -   Inflorescence:     -   -   Surface texture of peduncle.—Medium.         -   Color of peduncle.—Base colour is yellow-green group 145A,             over colour is grey-red group, similar to 182A.         -   Length of pedicel.—10.3 mm.         -   Surface texture of pedicel.—Smooth.         -   Color of pedicel.—Yellow-green group, similar to 145A and             146B.         -   Number of flowers per cluster.—6.         -   Flower cluster density.—Medium. -   Stamen:     -   -   Length.—6.4 mm.         -   Number per flower.—10.         -   Filament color.—Yellow-green group, similar to 145D.         -   Style.—Length — 8.7 mm.         -   Color.—Yellow-green group, similar to N144B. -   Pistil:     -   -   Length.—10.2 mm. -   Anther:     -   -   Length.—3.8 mm.         -   Number.—10.         -   Color.—Greyed-orange group, similar to 165A and 165B. -   Pollen:     -   -   Self compatibility.—Yes.         -   Abundance.—Few.         -   Color.—Yellow group 11C.

FRUIT

-   General:     -   -   Time of fruit ripening.—Early.         -   Cluster density.—Medium, average 6 berries per cluster.         -   Unripe fruit color.—Yellow-green group, similar to 144B.         -   Ripe berry color.—Blue group, similar to 103A.         -   Berry surface wax abundance.—Strong.         -   Berry weight.—On average 2.6 g.         -   Berry height from calyx to scar.—13.6 mm.         -   Berry diameter.—15.3 mm.         -   Berry shape.—Oblate.         -   Fruit stem scar.—Medium size scar.         -   Sweetness when ripe.—High (14 Brix).         -   Firmness when ripe.—Firm.         -   Acidity when ripe.—Medium (0.6%).         -   Storage quality.—Medium average 22 days.         -   Suitability for mechanical harvesting.—Not tested.         -   Self-fruitfulness.—Yes.         -   Uses.—Fruit to be hand harvested for fresh market.

SEED

-   General:     -   -   Seed abundance in fruit.—Low, 8 seeds per fruit.         -   Seed color.—Greyed orange group, similar to 165A.         -   Seed length.—1.9 mm.

COMPARISON WITH COMMERCIAL CULTIVARS

Table 1 below provide comparison between ‘C15-143’ and several commercial cultivars:

TABLE 1 Comparison of ‘C15-143’ with similar cultivars Characteristics ‘C15-143’ ‘C99-042’ ‘Snowchaser’ Plant vigour Medium Weak to medium Medium Plant growth habit Semi-upright Semi-upright to Semi-upright intermediate One year old shoot length Short Very short to short Short of internodes Leaf length Very short to short Short Long Leaf length (mm) 47.5 ± 0.6 53.10 ± 0.8 61.50 ± 0.9 Leaf width Very narrow to narrow Very narrow to narrow Broad Leaf width (mm) 23.9 ± 1.3  22.9 ± 1.3  34.3 ± 1.5 Flower size of corolla Small Medium Medium Flower corolla length  7.4 ± 0.3  9.7 ± 0.3  9.5 ± 0.3 Fruit cluster density Medium Sparse Medium Fruit size Medium to large Small to medium Small to medium Fruit weight (g)  2.6 ± 0.3  1.9 ± 0.39  1.7 ± 0.21 Fruit diameter (mm) 15.3 ± 0.7  15.6 ± 0.96 15.10 ± 0.97 Fruit depth of calyx basin Deep Medium Shallow Fruit intensity of bloom Strong Weak to medium Weak to medium Fruit firmness Firm Firm Soft Soluble solid content (%) 14 13.1 14.3 Titratable acidity (%)  0.6  0.3  0.5 Time of vegetative bud Medium Early Early burst Time of beginning of Early Early to medium Very early to early flowering Time of beginning of fruit Early Early to medium Very early to early ripening 

1. A new and distinct variety of blueberry plant named ‘C15-143’, substantially as illustrated and described herein. 